Tilka Chapman, right (Submitted photo/Tilka Chapman)

By Ben Tompkins

Football Pioneer

Local girl part of first Prairie Girls Football League champions

Nov 4, 2021 | 10:00 AM

The Moosomin Generals defeated the Yorkton Lady Gridders 26-18 this past weekend in what was the first-ever Prairie Girls Football League title.

The league consists of five teams, all in the lower half of Saskatchewan, which includes Melville, Regina, Estevan, Yorkton and Moosomin.

Tilka Chapman, a grade 11 student from Tisdale Middle and Secondary School was on the winning team as she will forever go down as a pioneer in the league.

Chapman was invited to the team this past year after having been a part of the U18 all-girls Saskatchewan Provincial team that would compete against teams from Manitoba.

A couple of coaches from that team were the coaches on Moosomin — who are the first team that entered this league — and invited her to come to play when they didn’t have enough numbers to form a team.

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Chapman told northeastNOW her experience winning a championship is unforgettable and she is very happy that there are so many girls just like her who share a similar passion.

“It was pretty amazing. It’s just cool to be part of a girls team, it’s a totally different dynamic. It’s super cool to see a bunch of girls playing football, as it used to be a male-dominated sport. To have an actual league is pretty monumental.”

Chapman also said she feels grateful to have been on the first-ever championship team and hopes that more teams will join the league, especially a team in the northeast.

“It means a lot to experience what it’s like to be in an actual league. I’m hoping eventually someone creates a northeast team or for me to help out with something like that, so it’s not just girls from down south that are playing. It can be all across Northern Saskatchewan as well.”

Chapman mentioned she is also extremely appreciative of the all-girls league, as she knows how scary it can be to join a co-ed league and face guys that are twice the size.

“I feel like a lot of girls are scared to play football because in the teenage years, physically there’s such a big difference between girls and guys. To have a girls league, playing people that are more evenly matched with you and where you can be yourself, it’s just a lot different dynamic. Some girls aren’t comfortable being that close to guys in sports, so to be comfortable and still be able to succeed in the sport, it’s really big. I think if there was a girl’s team in this area, it would encourage so many more girls to join football.”

Chapman also thanked her coaches in Tisdale who she said pushed her to continue with football and empower her to take this opportunity and have the success that has had in her career.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8